


Once Upon an Ethereal Moon

by KhadaVengean



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: After Battle in Fhirdiad, Ballroom Dancing, Childhood Memories, F/M, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Blue Lions Route, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, I love them so much, Inspired by Anastasia (1997 & Broadway), JUST LET THEM BE HAPPY, Memories, Post-Timeskip | War Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Romance, Soft Blyeth, Soft Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, but so in love, just like me, they are so oblivious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:41:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26664604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KhadaVengean/pseuds/KhadaVengean
Summary: After the battle in Fhirdiad, Dimitri and Byleth share a dance in the destroyed Ballroom of Castle Blaiddyd.Dimileth Version of "Once upon a december" of Anastasia (1997)
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth, Slight Ingrid Brandl Galatea / Sylvain Jose Gautier
Comments: 7
Kudos: 63





	Once Upon an Ethereal Moon

**Author's Note:**

> [Inspired by Anastasia's "Once upon a december"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gZrYyi-XRQ)
> 
> [Inspired by this picture](https://www.tumgir.com/lulubuu0609)
> 
> [My tumblr](https://khadavengean.tumblr.com/)
> 
> I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> English is not my first language. Please be aware of that.

The moment Dimitri returned to Fhirdiad, retaking the capital from Cornelia’s venomous fangs, it felt like a breath of fresh air. The last time he was here was during his ‘execution’ and the time before that, pre his time at the officer’s academy, he was only a tolerated inhabitant although he was the prince and future monarch. His uncle was very trained in making him feel out of place.

The castle was his home. The place where he was born, took his first steps and spoke his first words, the place where he built friendships with his companions and so on. Countless memories were lying behind the walls, above the ceilings and in every nook and cranny.

Good memories. Bad memories. Laughter, sadness, screaming in joy and fear.

But this room in particular was something that was connected to many moments. High ceilings and windows, paintings hanging on the wall, diamond chandeliers hanging from above, the floor wide and broad. Before everything happened, it was probably the greatest treasure the castle held, next to the throne room and the gardens. It was said that even the imperial palace in Enbarr couldn’t compete.

The ball room. The place where countless parties and discussions were held, games were played and music was orchestrated. When Dimitri looked on the right, he saw the spot where the musicians have played their pieces – strings, piano, sometimes even a trumpet when there were pompous events.

“It’s certainly been some time,” Ingrid spoke when she stepped close to him, right by his side. He craned his head a little bit to the right, seeing her widened eyes and the nostalgic look on her face. “So many memories were made here.”

“And so many great ones,” Sylvain piqued in, walking forward and kneeling down, touching the floor with his bare fingers. He grimaced and Dimitri felt his heart falling down in his chest. “Look what Cornelia did to this place.”

“Not only this room, but the whole castle,” Felix intercepted while he stood at the windows, looking at the outside. His companions walked around the room, recalling all the moments they’ve spent in these walls. “Cornelia made sure to pay the respect she harbored for Faerghus.”

His words stung. But they were the truth. Once one of the greatest architectural masterpieces created. With shiny floors and windows that let the sun and moon flood the room.

But now? There were holes in the floor, dust collecting in the corners and glass shards scattered on the ground. On some spots, Dimitri heard them crunch under his boots and weight. The windows were dirty, there were scratches in the wood by the stairs that led upwards, designed to introduce the royal family whenever they entered.

“It will take some time to repair this mess. Probably months.” Sylvain clicked his tongue. “What a shame. I was hoping we could celebrate the end of the war in this room.”

It would have been a nice addition. It was the room in which they met, all four of them only children with big eyes and innocent minds, far away from the bloodshed that had to witness. From all the tragedies that marked their lives to the fear that sat inside their hearts.

“We need to bring this war to an end first. Then we can start thinking about it.”

“Felix is right, it’s too early to say this automatically.” Dimitri watched how she looked at the outside, followed Felix’s eyes to the setting sun and the fading light. He saw the small smile on her lips and the wistful look on her features. She didn’t say the word or her wish, but her dream. Their dream.

“Hey, you need some hope in these times, don’t you think.” A sigh from Sylvain. “By the way, Ingrid, I reserve your first dance here.”

“Sylvain!”

“Ugh.”

Dimitri started to smile.

“Your highness?” The blonde looked forward and green eyes looked at him in worry. To make sure, Ingrid stepped to his right, making sure that he could see her. “Is everything alright?”

“It is. And I agree – let’s make sure that we can rebuild this room when the war is over.” They shared a smile. “I’m just overcome by the memories we’ve made here.” Both good and bad.

Their first meeting. The endless hours they’ve spent playing with each other. Standing by their parents and watching how the adults interacted with each other. How Glenn always made sure that none of them would do anything improper.

After Duscur, the feeling of isolation under the high ceilings. The looks of the other nobles, mumbling between and the young women who threw him a look filled with caution and weren’t eager to share a dance with him due to curtesy. His uncle’s piercing eyes, making sure that he felt unwelcome. Dedue’s missing presence, not tolerated by the other nobles, was another point to add to his solitude.

And now? After all the things he had been through, when he couldn’t call this place his home? Where childhood memories, once bathed in soft light, were tainted with dust and dirt?

Silence spread among those four – everyone bathing in their own nostalgia, recollecting the fragments.

A sigh broke the silence, steps carried over the floor. “I’m going back.”

“Hey, Felix, wait. I’m coming with you.” Dimitri let out a deep sigh, hearing how Sylvain said: “You’re coming too, Ingrid?”

A moment of hesitation. “Of course, I’m coming.” Their eyes met, green and blue. “We’re already going ahead, your highness. Take all the time you need.”

“Thank you.”

And so, Dimitri was alone in the room. He eyed the stairs and slowly started to walk forward. The sun’s fading light was nearing the windows, slowly disappearing.

“ _Happy birthday, Dimitri!” Sylvain, Ingrid and Felix smiled at him, presenting him a small box. The prince started to beam, accepting the gift with careful hands._

“ _Thank you!”_

The shards were reflecting the light, weaving and separating on the floor.

“ _Are you coming with us, Dimitri?,” Sylvain asked with his big amber eyes, switching his gaze between him and his father. Slowly, but surely and so uncertain, “Can he come with us, your majesty? We only want to play a little bit outside – we won’t be going far, promise!”_

_The prince’s looked shyly to the tall king. “Can I, father?”_

_His father started to smile, his blue eyes softening. “Of course. But don’t go too far, okay?”_

_They both started to beam. “Thank you!”_

It looked like someone dragged their claws over the faces on the paintings. Old kings and queens, once hailed and admired in Faerghus, were forgotten in the thing that were supposed to keep them alive.

“ _I’m sorry,” he whimpered when he stepped on Ingrid’s foot. “I’m really not good at this.”_

“ _Don’t worry, your highness,” she winced when it happened again. “I’m no help either.”_

_Sylvain’s comment was, like always, the cherry on the cake. “Maybe you want to dance with Glenn, instead?”_

_Ingrid started to blush furiously._

Spiders and even rats have already started to call this room their home. He heard quiet squeaking from afar, looking at the holes and spots that were destroyed.

“ _He is the only one who survived.”_

“ _Do you think it was luck?”_

“ _Where is that beast the prince has dragged here?”_

“ _Let’s hope he’ll come to his senses. Accepting someone from this barbaric tribe after they murdered our king.”_

“ _I don’t want to dance with him.”_

“ _He scares me.”_

Dimitri reached the stairs. Put his hand on the railing and climbed up slowly.

“ _Now announcing, Prince Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, crown prince of Faerghus, son of Lambert Egitte Blaiddyd and Alisha Katharina Blaiddyd, nephew of Grand Duke Rufus Blaiddyd and future king of Faerghus.”_

_The people were staring at him. And although four years have passed since the tragedy, it looked the same. Even with Ingrid, Sylvain and Felix in the crowd, he had rarely felt that lonely._

Standing at the top, he had the entire room in his vision. He remembered the sparkling wood, the light, the scent of wine and food.

“ _We wish you a good year at the officer’s academy, your highness.” One of his uncle’s most loyal supporters nodded assured, secretly being overjoyed that the young prince was going away for a whole year. “We truly hope that you will return safe and sound after these twelve moons.”_

_Lies. Lying through his teeth. False words._

_But Dimitri lacked the strength to do anything. Too weary, too exhausted, too empty to respond correctly._

_And so, he said, “Thank you,” instead._

Dimitri shook his head. Let out a deep sigh. He leaned over the railing and put his hand against his forehead, ruffling his hair. It was too late, anyway. Time has passed and only the silvery moonlight from the outside shone inside the room.

Maybe it should be time to go back. The others were waiting for him-

“Dimitri?” A voice called through the room, the door was screeching and the constant clicking of two shoes were echoing between the walls. “Are you here?”

“Is that...professor?!” With nothing but shock, Dimitri looked upwards, straightened his posture and combed his messy hair back to the same as before. “Is that you?”

“There you are. I was looking for you.” Green eyes were shining despite the darkness that conquered the majority of the room. No – they were shining not despite, but instead of moonlight, her orbs were the only light he needed.

Dimitri started to gulp. What a foolish thought. “My apologies. It seems I’ve lost track of the time. I hope I didn’t cause you too many circumstances.”

“There is no need to apologize.” Her smile was small, but so warm, reaching his heart instantly. She had her arms crossed in front of her chest, standing on her tiptoes and falling back on her heels. “You weren’t at the celebration, so I wished to check if everything is alright.”

“It is,” he called from above, looking at her small form in the gargantuan room and shook his head. “Wait a moment, I’m coming downstairs.”

She titled her head, blinked owlishly, but kept her smile on her lips until they stood in front of each other. Byleth changed her focus, looked around. “What is this room?” She left her position, her heels continued to echo through under the high ceiling and walking to the windows. “This is so spacious.”

“It is the royal ballroom,” he answered and quickly corrected himself. “Well, it was. After the damage Cornelia has caused, I’m not sure if we can keep calling it like this.”

“Like the one at Garreg Mach?”

“Yes.”

Byleth started to hum. “ So this is the place where you celebrated?” 

“Mostly yes. It was also used for birthdays, anniversaries. Anything that was considered worth celebrating in the eyes of nobility.” For example the party his uncle’s advisers have organized to bid him a good year.

That hadn’t been worth celebrating in his eyes.

“I see.” She went back, her white cape whooshing behind her, the tiara on her head slightly wavering in her head. “I’ve known that the knight hall in Garreg Mach was big, but this exceeds my imaginations.” She looked upwards, standing on her tiptoes once again and fell back. “How many people fit in here?” Her piercing gaze was set on him. “What do you think?”

The question took him aback. “I’m not quiet sure. I’ve never counted – this question never occurred to me.” With his lone eye, he watched her profile, how she looked at the destroyed paintings above her and he shook his head to clear his mind from the thoughts. “It is one of the greatest rooms in this castle. And one of the most beautiful too.”

“I can imagine that.” She returned to his side, her enlightened outfit fitting so incredibly well into this room that it could scare him. Maybe in another time, when this war was over-

Suddenly, he saw her with a ring on her finger and the voices wished to cut in-

“Dimitri?” Her mouth was put into a worried line, a frown on her beautiful face and her hand cupped his. “Are you alright?”

Her touch was both hot and comforting, scorching but feeling  _so good._ “Of course, my apologies. I just had to think about something.”

One of his oldest fantasies, being born after their night in the goddess tower five years ago.

She nodded, but continued to look at him in caution.  And simply because he couldn’t bear to see her skepticism, he quickly added: “Would you like to see the castle, professor?”

Before any doubt could manifest in his mind, she quickly nodded. “Yes, I would like that.” She scanned the room once more. “I’d like to know the place where you’ve lived.”

“As you wish.” His eyes immediately locked on the doors. “Shall we go, then-”

“Just one thing.”

“Yes?”

His beloved professor looked around in hesitation and the prince was sure that something tricked him – was she  _blushing?_ Her, the ashen Demon,  _blushing?_

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

The red hue was quickly fainting, like it never existed. Or was he just imagining things? “You’ve also danced in here, right?”

“ _Wrong foot, Dimitri. You’re supposed to lead with your right!”_

_Her presence behind him, dancing in step with him. Only a couple of meters apart, but in reality, worlds were lying between them._

“Yes. Although it wasn’t always on free will.” Her look changed to confusion and he quickly added: “It was expected from me as prince to dance with other nobles.”

She quickly raised her chin in understanding, nodding slowly. “That does make sense.”

“May I ask why you’re curious?”

“Just a simple thought. I’ve just remembered that you also danced at the ball five years ago and we didn’t share a dance, although we were teacher and house leader.” She shrugged. “Claude asked me back then, that’s why I wondered.”

“Well...”

Dimitri had no words for that. What did that mean? Did she wa nt to dance with him back then? Did she remember this evening as clear as he did? 

“ _Perhaps it would make sense for me to wish that we’ll be together forever. What do you think?”_

Both a lie and a truth at the same time.

Before he could do anything else, Dimitri felt heat crawl up his neck. Oh, sometimes he wished that those words wouldn’t remain in his head.

He blinked. “Then, would you like to share a dance with me?”

Her mouth opened for a bit.

“I mean, if you would like to. Don’t feel obligated!” It was truly astounding to witness how just one change in her face could just mess up his entire thoughts in one rush. “I was just thinking that maybe we could catch up on that?”

There was only one small thing that had changed – they weren’t teacher and house leader anymore. Back then, it would have accounted as a sign of a good relationship between faculty and studentship.  But now? They were at war, the leader of an army and his greatest tactician. What would that represent? 

_Do you really believe that she’d accept it like that? Dance with you? Pah! Think again._

_You are not good enough for her, Dimitri. She is a goddess. What are you? A beast, a filthy monster._

And how he much he agreed with those words.

“I’d love to.” She started to smile again, the corners of her lips rising and the spark shining in her orbs. “But I’m a little bit worried about the holes. We don’t want the future king to break one of his bones while he dances with his tactician.”

She said yes. The voices died down once again.

“We’ll manage.”

Old habits die hard. He pressed his feet together, his arm behind his back and his hand reaching out to her. “May I have this dance, my lady?”

Her eyes looked at his hands, then at his face and with a small smile, he felt her hand in his own. “I’d love to.”

Her touch was warm against his skin. He remembered the things he had learned and already applied multiple times. He guided her left hand to his shoulder, his right one taking her waist and their opposites joining.  He looked at her face, trying to find for any sign of discomfort. 

There was none. She continued to smile and he took it as his cue. He slowly led her through a small space, cautious of both the holes in the floor and not trying to step on her feet. He did his best, trying to carry and hold her correctly.

She simply followed, a little bit uncertain herself, but she smiled and started to let out a sound of joy when their steps became more fluent. Their circles became wider, bigger and with each step, her warmth became theirs.

And in the middle of their dancing, she started to hum a tune. A rhythmic melody, fitting their steps with each lift and fall. The moon was the only light that guided them where to go.

“Would you like to try something?”

She nodded while keeping on humming the melody.

Slowly, but surely, he let go of her hand and waist, slowly grabbed her by the waist and lifted her, spinning once. A sound of surprise escaped, but before she could react properly, he already set her back on her feet.

“My apologies.” He quickly cleared his throat. “But I-”

“It’s alright.” She hushed him, her face red with joy. “Let’s continue?”

Silence and peace. His beloved professor looking at him silently.

“As long as you want.”

* * *

_Four moons after the end of the war, King Dimitri was overjoyed to announce that the ballroom has been repaired from all the damage it had to endure after Cornelia’s reign. To celebrate this occasion, he invited all his friends and companions to a ball._

_Snow was falling outside the high windows. The floor was clean and sparkling underneath the chandeliers’ lights. A group of musicians standing on the side, preparing their instruments._

_They gave the signal. And with this, King Dimitri led his queen to the dance floor. The same place where they’ve shared their first one._

_King Dimitri and Queen Byleth took their positions – her left hand on his shoulder, his right by her waist and their opposites, adorned by rings, joining. They looked at each other in adoration, a smile on both their lips and when the music started to play, they moved in sync._

_To honor this occasion, Ignatz Victor painted a piece for them. Both of them in their royal regalia, warm light shining on their cheeks and their smiles omnipotent._

_He dubbed it “Once upon an Ethereal Moon.”_

**Author's Note:**

> Whenever I look at Dimitleth Fanart, I just want to cry how perfect they are. The picture above is one of my absolute favorites and I couldn't resist. 
> 
> When I looked at the scene, it just came over me and this happened. Wrote this (like always) in one rush. 
> 
> I hope you've liked it! Any word of criticism is appreciated.


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